"I had been struggling shooting all game," said Pattman. "So, truthfully, when I hit that shot, all I could think was 'finally.' I have no problem taking big shots and I think the key is to always believe that you are going to make the next one."
The Seahawks were resilient, however, and fought off the Dartmouth rally. Mike Popoko converted 1-of-2 at the free throw line to tie the score at 45 just 40 seconds later. With just a minute left, Mitchell Beauford, who led all scorers with 22 points, hit the go-ahead basket, giving Stony Brook the 47-45 lead.
Pattman hit another three in the final seven seconds of the game, but Stony Brook made free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
This game truly was a tale of two halves for the Big Green. After shooting just 22.7 percent during the first twenty minutes, they came out of the gate strong in the second half, connecting for an impressive 47.6 percent from the field.
Pattman led the Big Green with 11 points and Michael Giovacchini '08 chipped in 10. Paul Bode '07 narrowly missed a double-double, contributing nine points and 10 rebounds. Those 10 boards were a collegiate best for Bode and marked the first time a Dartmouth player collected 10 or more rebounds since Calvin Arnold '06 did it on February 19, 2005 in a Big Green win over Columbia.
"When I was sitting on the sideline at the beginning of the second half, Coach Dunn turned to me and said, 'Bode, I need you to get in there and grab some rebounds,'" said Bode. "As soon as I checked in the game, I was determined to grab as many rebounds as I could. To be completely honest, it felt great. For the first time this season, I really felt like I was starting to play up to my potential."
So far this season, Dartmouth owns a dismal 1-9 record when trailing at the half. To make matters worse, they have yet to win on a Tuesday this year (0-2) and have not won a game when they score under 50 points. Despite this, the Big Green nearly pulled off a victory on their home court.
"It's never easy to lose a tough one like that," commented Pattman. "But at this point of the season there is really no time for us to have a pity party for ourselves. We have to bounce back and be ready to get Harvard at the end of the week."
Bode reiterated Pattman's feelings, saying, "We are definitely disappointed with the loss tonight. This is a team that does not believe in moral victories. Although I was proud of the effort that we put forth in the second half, none of the guys were content that we came up short." Continued the junior forward, "However, the great thing about college basketball is that we a get another chance on Friday night to go out there and give a better effort. After tonight we will bury this loss and start preparing for Harvard."
Dartmouth will face Ivy League arch-rival Harvard this Friday at 7 p.m. in Hanover. The contest marks a chance for revenge for the Big Green, who lost last week in Cambridge.
